icularly when recovering from illness, I have sat, and have
found, or fancied, that pain was soothed, and depressed spirits
greatly elevated, by the monotonous tone of the bees around me."

The pamphlet from which the above has been taken then enters into a
minute description of the curiosities, pictures, &c., collected by Mr.
Croker at 'Rosamond's Bower,' which it is unnecessary further to refer
to; indeed, although intended for private circulation only, it was not
completed, as Mr. Croker was led to believe it might appear but an
egotistical description of an unimportant house.

The following particulars, connected with Thomas Moore's visit to
'Rosamond's Bower,' may prove interesting:--

On the 6th October, 1838, Moore wrote to Mr. Crofton Croker as follows:--

"Many thanks for your wish to have me at Rosamond's Bower, even
though I was unlucky enough not to profit by that wish--some other
time, however, you must, for _my_ sake, try again; and I shall then
be most ready for a rummage of your Irish treasures. Already,
indeed, I have been drawing a little upon your 'Researches in the
South of Ireland;' and should be very glad to have more books of
yours to pilfer.

"Yours, my dear Mr. Croker,
"Very truly,
"THOMAS MOORE."

On the 18th November, 1841, Major-General (then Colonel) Sir Charles
O'Donnell lunched at Rosamond's Bower; before luncheon Mr. Croker
happened to point out to him the passage in the preface of the fourth
volume of Moore's Works, p. xxxv, in which the poet says--

"With the melody entitled, 'Love, Valour, and Wit,' an incident is
connected, which awakened feelings in me of proud, but sad pleasure,
to think that my songs had reached the hearts of some of the
descendants of those great Irish families, who found themselves
forced, in the dark days of persecution, to seek in other lands a
refuge from the shame and ruin of their own;--those whose story I
have associated with one of their country's most characteristic
airs:--

'Ye Blakes and O'Donnells, whose fathers resign'd
The green hills of their youth, among strangers to find
That repose which at home they had sigh'd for in vain.'

"From a foreign lady, of this ancient extraction,--whose names,